Crime
LAGOS State government has sought the co-operation of tanker drivers over incessant accidents, reckless driving and parking on the highways, which often claim many lives.
The state’s Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote, who spoke at the stakeholders’ engagement meeting with key representatives of the Downstream Energy Sector to deepen safety awareness of operators, said that the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration was keen to see that the downstream sector continues to flourish in the state but operators must stay within the framework of safety provided by the regulators and the laws of the state.
Odusote said that the workshop was put together to address the recurrence of such hazardous incidents, and to seek effective and lasting solutions that align with the interests of all stakeholders.
The commissioner, who disclosed that Lagos State had commenced the process of creating fully-equipped truck transit parks and terminals to eliminate the indiscriminate parking of trucks in the state, said that a technology-based integrated terminal management system, where tickets are issued prior to proceeding to the loading bays, would be introduced in addition to the enforcement of the yearly certifications for tanker drivers and trucks that ply Lagos roads.
He said that the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources would work closely with all stakeholders to implement an optimal framework to curb the menace of tankers, just as it partners the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to monitor loading of petroleum products at the various loading bays in the state.
In his own contribution, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, said that relevant infrastructure to facilitate vehicle testing would be made available at mutually agreed designated points to support the downstream sector.
Also speaking at the meeting, the National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Association, Otunba Sailimon Oladiti, noted: “Lagos State Government is always leading positive change, but to ensure the solutions are sustainable, similar actions must also be taken nationwide.”
At the end of the session, all participants, including representatives of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) promised to abide by the regulations set by Lagos State.
Guardian
– May 22, 2020 @ 10:35 GMT /
Tags: Lagos government moves against tanker drivers over incessant accidents
